Author: H.B. Moore
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: 2018
Pages: 232
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Anna the Prophetess is the dramatic chronicle of the only woman to be called a prophetess in the Gospels. When Anna's great-niece Julia is exiled to Jerusalem as punishment for her refusal to marry a man old enough to be her father, Anna shares the story of her early days of courtship with her husband. Although Julia's parents admonished her to observe firsthand how lonely Anna's life is, Julia instead discovers that her great-aunt's life is far from lonely--it is full of love, peace, and incredible faith. As Anna shares her unwavering testimony of the coming Messiah with her great-niece, these two faithful women are changed forever as they seek the Lord's will in their lives and joyfully witness the long-awaited miracles of Christ's birth.
My Review: Anna is the only prophetess mentioned in the Gospels. She is famous for recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, the one who will bring salvation to Israel. Anna the Prophetess fictionalizes her life as a young woman who falls in love with a devastated widower to an old woman who serves her remaining days in the temple awaiting the birth of the Messiah. This novel tells the story of Anna’s unwavering faith and her devotion to God.
I was familiar with Anna as the old woman who recognizes the infant Jesus as our Saviour. However, I found it refreshing that the novel shows Anna as a young teenager who is on the verge of womanhood. She dreams of a loving husband and happy children. Instead, she experiences a life of hardships. She becomes a barren woman, and her husband dies in battle seven years after their marriage. Despite her tragedies, she still believes in God and remains loyal to him. Because of her devotion to God, Anna is blessed to see and recognize the Messiah. She realizes that her difficulties are trials to her faith, and through her actions, she receives many blessings. Her faith inspires her great-niece Julia, who learns through Anna’s story. Julia uses Anna’s tale as a lesson and applies them to her own faith. Thus, Julia is able to receive her own blessings from God.
Overall, this novel is about faith, love, trust, and hope. I love the characters in this novel. I love how she meets Elizabeth and John. My favorite part of the novel was when she recognizes Jesus as the Messiah. H. B. Moore does an excellent job in making ancient Israel come alive. I felt as if I was there walking alongside the characters. There were a few things that I did not like about this book. I thought the romance between Anna and Josiah was a bit underdeveloped. The author never really showed their traits that made them fall in love with each other. Also, I would have liked to know more about Anna’s life, but the author focused more on her great-niece’s blossoming romance. Still, Anna the Prophetess is an inspiring novel about two resilient women who must overcome life’s greatest hardships and find solace in God’s love.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
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